Japanese symbol for “child”
子供
こども
Romaji: kodomo
child; children
In Japanese, child is 子供, read こども (kodomo).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n child; children
Written forms: 子供、子ども、小供、子共. Readings: こども.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “child”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 子 | こ ko | child; kid; teenager |
| 子 | し shi | child (esp. a boy) |
| 子 | こう kou | child |
| お子様 | おこさま okosama | (another's) child |
| 児 | じ ji | child; boy |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 女子 | じょし joshi | woman; girl |
| 女の子 | おんなのこ onnanoko | girl; daughter; baby girl |
| 男子 | だんし danshi | boy |
| 息子 | むすこ musuko | son |
| 様子 | ようす yousu | state (of affairs); situation; circumstances |
| 提供 | ていきょう teikyou | offer; tender; providing |
| 供給 | きょうきゅう kyoukyuu | supply; provision; service |
| 供述 | きょうじゅつ kyoujutsu | affidavit; deposition; testimony |
See also: Chinese symbol for “child”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.